Belton Lions Club pushes to grow flag program

June 5, 2025

By DANIEL MOCTEZUMA

The Belton Journal

The club is encouraging residents to sign up for its year-round Flag Program before July 4, aiming to restore participation after a recent drop caused by community turnover.

The program provides homeowners with a mounted American flag for $30 a year, including the flag, pole, and ground sleeve. The club maintains and replaces flags as needed.

“We currently have about 147 flags out,” said Karen Stagner, club secretary. “We’re hoping to add 50 more by July Fourth.”

The program originally involved volunteers placing and removing flags on specific holidays. In time, the club shifted to a “perpetual” model where flags stay up year-round, provided they’re lit at night in accordance with flag code. Replacements are handled by the club upon request.

“Wouldn’t it be great to drive into your street and see it lined with flags?” said Stagner. “It shows pride and also supports everything we’re able to do in Belton.”

Participation has decreased by over 50 homes in the last few years, according to the club. To counter that, members are reaching out to local HOAs like Dawson Ranch and considering door-to-door block walking to reconnect with residents and grow the program.

“We’ve had a lot of people move in and out. When that happens, sometimes the flag just sits there or disappears,” Stagner said. “We want the new folks to know this program exists.”

While the Flag Program is the focus for the summer, it’s also one of the club’s key fundraisers. The Belton Lions Club uses proceeds to support children with disabilities, underserved families, and various community programs.

This includes collecting eyeglasses for the Texas Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center, sponsoring students with two annual scholarships, funding the Lions Pavilion and accessible playground at Heritage Park, and supporting the Texas Lions Camp, a free summer camp for children with physical, intellectual, and medical conditions.

The club also helps with Project Heartbeat’s Angel Tree program for Belton ISD students, holiday food baskets for families with special needs, and Back-to-School with God, an event on July 19 at Yettie Polk Park where kids receive haircuts, eye exams, and free hot dogs.

They also host Christmas with Santa, a sensory-friendly celebration for special needs families that includes therapy dogs, gift bags, and support booths from local organizations.

Another major annual fundraiser is the “Captain D Dash for Sight” 5K on October 4 at Heritage Park. The fun run is followed by the Wacky Boat Race on Nolan Creek, where custom homemade boats compete for prizes.

The club also organizes community efforts in partnership with groups like the Temple-Belton Lady Lions. On May 22, 2024, they helped deliver food and drinks to recovery crews working across Morgan’s Point after the severe storm.

“That’s the reason we do fundraisers — without our supporters and sponsors, there’s a lot we wouldn’t be able to do,” Stagner said.

For more information, visit beltonlionsclub.com.